Mining-machine.



F. L. SESSIONS.

MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, I910- RENEWED MAY 25,1917-Lwmm v Patented Nov 20, 1917.

ISHEETS-SHEET I.

F. L. SESSIONS.

MINING MACHINE.

v APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, I910- RENEWED MAY 25. I917. mmw

Eatented Nov. 20, 191?.

7$HEETSSHEET 2.

F. L. SESSIONS.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 1910. RENEWED MAY 25,1917.

1 fiwfifiu Patentml Nov. 20, 191?.

TSHEETS-SHEET 3.

F. L. SESSIONS.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1910. RENEWED MAY 25,1917. J1 %%7 459 PatentmNov, 20, 191?.

E 516: I a? M 9 mm wi twmsw W K i {I W @Q F. L. SESSIONS, MININGMACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23,1910- RENEWED MAY 2511911. LQQ7A5QD PatentefiNov, 20, 191?.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

W, 6 QM M Witwwwo F. L. SESSIONS. MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FllLED MAR-23,1910- RENEWED MAY 2511917. LQQKAEQ.

Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

7SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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IIIIIIIIIIII Witnesses KJM F. L. SESSIONS- MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAR. 23, 19:0. RENEWED MAY 25, m1.

wilmaooao @TATEF PATENT @FFXQF.

FRANK L. SESSIONS. 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JEFFREY MANUFAC-TUBING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

1,24WAL5Q.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 23, 1910, Serial 110.551068. Renewed May 25,1917. Serial No. 170,983.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. SESSIONS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new.

type which are especially adapted for use in room and pillar mining.These machines have a main frame and cuttingapparatus rigidly mounted onand projecting from the inner end of the frame. In operation the frameslides over the floor of the mine, the machine being propelled along theface by a cable or the like which exerts a draft on the main frame atpoints adjacent the coal face, while the cutters are held to the work byguiding devices comprising a cable or the like which is arranged toexert a rearward draft on the outer part of the main frame and which ispaid out under a resistance, variable at the will of the operator, asthe machine advances.

- The object of my present invention is to improve the last nameddevices for guiding the machine or holding it to its work by providingin connection with devices for offering a variable resistance to thepaying out of the retarding cable, suitable means for positivelystopping such paying out.

While my improvements, structurally considered, relate to the retardingdevices, functionally considered they are related to the machine in amore general way, and I therefore fully show and describe a machineembodying my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a mining machine embodying my improvements.

-Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. i'is a transverse section on the line 41- 1: of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 5 are enlarged sections on the line 55, Fig. 1, showing theoperating mechanism and the cutter frame respec tively.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6, Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7--7, Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an outer end elevation of the friction held angling or guidingdrum.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of said drum.

Fig. 10 is a vertical'section on the line 10-40, Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 11-11, Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is a plan view on a small scale showing the machine in positionnear the right rib of a mine room to begin the enter- 111%01 sumpingout.

ig. 13 is a similar view of the machine with the sumping cut partiallycompleted.

Fig. 14 is a similar view showing the machine when the sumping out hasbeen completed.

Fig. 15 is a plan view on a small scale showing the machine as it ispropelled across the room along the coal face to make the under out.

For the purposes-of illustration 1 have shown in the drawing a miningmachine of which A indicates the main frame as an entirety, B thecutting apparatus extending laterally therefrom and supported thereby,C, C the feeding and guiding mechanism for advancing the cuttingapparatus and machine either longitudinally or laterally, D the motormechanism, and E the auxiliary parts employed when it is desired to havethe cutting apparatus advanced into the coal transversely to the facethereof.

The main frame may be of any suitable construction. I have shown itcomprising a shoe 1 adapted to rest upon the ground with freedom toslide freely in all directions, longitudinally arranged angle bars orplates 2., 2 secured to said shoe at either side thereof and a suitableplatform 3 resting upon and secured to said longitudinal side bars. 1-,1-

are webs or plates depending from the platform 3 and carrying at theirlower ends the laterally turned longitudinally extending cuttingapparatus guides 5, 5.

The cutting apparatus comprises a longi tudinally arranged horizontallydisposed base plate 6, two longitudinally arranged horizontally disposedguide plates 7 above said base plate and spaced therefrom by thelongitudinally arranged bars 8 so as to form a chain guide or recess 9,the parts just rel.

Patented Nov. so, neat.

ferred to being secured together in any suitable manner, as by rivets10. 11 is an inner sprocket wheel mounted upon a vertical axle 11, andbetween the inner end of the base plate 6 and a top plate 12 suitably.secured 'to the base plate and having an outwardly extending centrallyarranged part 12 fitted snugly between the top bars 7 7 of the chainframe.

The motor D is suitably secured upon-the platform 3 with its armatureshaft 13 arranged longitudinally ofthe machine. 14 is a longitudinallyarranged shaft, preferably having its axis in the vertical longitudinalplane of the axis of the chain frame. lt is suitably mounted near eitherend in-bearings 14 and 14, one of which is carried by a bearing'standard14 suitably secured to the platform 3. The standard 14 extendstransversely of the machine in either direction from the shaft 14 forthe purpose to be hereinafter described. 15 is a spur gear rigidlysecured to the shaft 14 and meshing with a pinion 16 secured to theinner end,

of the armature shaft 13. 17 is a bevel pinion loosely mounted on theshaft 14 near the outer end thereof. 18 indicates a positive clutchinterposed between the said shaft 14 and the bevel pinion '17, thelongitudinally stationary element 18 of said clutch being secured to thesaid bevel pinion and the longitudinally movable element 18 beingsplined to the shaft. 18 indicates suitable mechanism for moving theelement 18 of theclutch in either direction.

"19 is a vertically disposed shaft suitably mounted in bearings carriedb the main frame of the machine and having its axis in the verticalplane containing the axis of the shaft .14. 20 is a bevel gear securedto the upper end of the said vertical shaft and in mesh with the bevelpinion 17. 21 is a sprocket drive wheel rigidly secured to the lower endof the vertical shaft 19;

22 indicates as an entirety an endless cutter chain or carrier extendingaround the sprocket drive wheel 21 and the inner sprocket 11 carried bythe cutter frame, it

being arranged at either side within the uides 9 of the said cutterframe and carrying laterally extending cutters 23 of any suitableconstruction. The cutter frame is supported from the main frame by thelongitudinally arranged slides or guides 5 depending from the main frameand arranged to fit snuglybetween the base plate and the upper plate ofthe chain frame. The main frame and the chain frame are normally screwthreaded shaft 24 mounted near its inner end ina bearing in a dependingplate extend the chain frame relative to the main frame or to force itin the opposite direction relatively thereto, as desired.

28 is a Worm gear rigidly secured to the longitudinally arranged shaft14 near the inner end thereof and ,between the bearing standard 14 andthe gear wheel 15 secured to the said shaft. 29 is a shaft arrangedbeneaththe said shaft 14 and transversely of the main frame. It issuitably mounted in a bearing 29 secured to the platform of the saidframe. 30 is a worm wheel secured to the,inside end of the saidtransverse shaft 29 and in mesh 'with the worm 28 on the shaft 14. 31 isa worm rigidly secured to the outside end ofthe shaft 29.

32 is a longitudinally arranged shaft mounted near either end inbearings 32, 32, carried by bearing standards 14 and 32, the latterbeing arranged parallel to the former and of substantially the samewidth and secured to the platform of the main frame.

The axis of this shaft 32 is in a vertical longitudinal plane on theopposite side of the vertical longitudinal plane of the axis of theshaft 14 from armature shaft ,13. .33 is a worm wheel rigidly secured tothe outer end of the shaft 32 and in, mesh with the worm 31 on thetransverse shaft 29. 34 is a spur gear loosely mounted upon the shaft 32adjacent to the bearing standard.14*-, and 35 is a gear wheel of greaterdiameter than the gear wheel 34 and loosely mounted upon the said shaft32adjacent t0 the bearing standard 32*. 36 indicates as an entiretyclutch mechanism for alternately connect-' so. I

secured to the gear wheel 35 and at its other end clutch jaws 36 adaptedto engage with the clutch jaws 36 carriedby the gear wheel 34. 37indicates as an entirety suitable mechanism for shifting the movableelement 36 of the clutch in either direction at will.

'38 is a longitudinally arranged drum shaft suitably mounted near eitherend' in bearings 38, 38 in the bearing standards, 14 and 32respectively. The axis of the shaft is on the opposite side of thevertical plane containing the axis of the shaft 14 from the axis of theshaft 32. 39 is a gear t emes wheel rigidly secured to the shaft 38 nearthe outer end thereof and in mesh with the gear wheel 34 on the shaft32, and i is a gear wheel of smaller diameter than the gear wheel 39rigidly secured to the inner part of the shaft 38 in position to meshwith the gear wheel 35 on the shaft 32.

41 is a cable winding drum loosely mounted on the shaft 38 andpreferably adjacent to the gear wheel 40 at the inner end thereof: Theperiphery of the cable drum may be spirally grooved as indicated at 41'to assist in the spooling of a draft' cable upon the drum. The drum ispreferably oonnected to the shaft 38 by means of a friction clutch 41,one element of which is a" ring or casing 41 carried by the drum andextending .outwardly therefrom, and the other element of which is apulley or rin 41 havingits rim radially slotted at 41', 4:1, asindicated. 41 are adjustable wedges or expanders arranged between thesections of the rim at said slots and adaptedto force the periphery of'the rim into engagement with the inner Walls of the ring 41* in the Wellknown manner. By varying the adjustment of the expanders, the clutch canbe made to slip when the resistance to the rotation of the winding drumreaches any given amount. 43 is a pulley or sheave arranged to receiveand guide the cable at as it is wound upon or is paidout from the drum41. This pulley 43 is mounted in a swivelin support'having a spindlemounted in abrac et bearing 43. The pulley spindle can be turned so thatthe pulley can be made to lie in either of several planes. When themachine is in operation and is being bodily advanced along the face ofthe coalthe pulley is substantially at ri ht angles to the longitudinallines of the machine. When the machine is being advanced longitudinallyto make the sumping cut the pulley is turned into its outward positiomasshown in Figs; 12, 13 and it, as will be more fully described presently.The

pulley. may in fact be made to take any sired to unload the machine fromthe truck on which it is transported from room to room, the pulley'maybe turned inward and the draft cable made fast at some point in front ofthe machine to draw the machine from'the truck. in order to have thepulley 43' automatically assume the most advantageous position whenstress is being exerted upon the cable, the pulley support or carrier isso constructed as to hold the pulley axis in a plane other than theplane of the axis of the, spindlepart. In other words, the pulleycarrier is similar to the fork carrier of a caster wheel.

'wound. This drum is mounted upon a bracket 47 on the outer end of themachine, said bracket being provided with a horizontally and outwardlyextending hub or stub shaft l8, upon which the drum 46 turns. The drumis held in position upon the shaft 48 by means of screw bolt 49. Inaddition to the groove or recessed part 46 of the drum upon which thecable is wound, a cylindrical extension 50 is provided with which aflexible brake band 51 cobperates. Clamping lugs 52- and 53 are rivetedor otherwise secured to the respective ends of the brake band 51. Theselugs are perforated to receive a clamping bolt or screw 54: and the lug53 is slotted to receive a nut '55. This nut, when the parts are inposition as shown in Fig. 8, engages the bottom of the slot formed inthe lug 53 so that it cannot turn; And thus by turnin the bolt 54 oneway or the other the brake and may be tightened or loosened as desired.As a convenient means for turning the screw bolt 54 a handle 56 ispivotally Secured to the end of said bolt. A partial revolution ofthebolt can be made wlth the handle and then by swinging the ,handle onit's pivot the turning movement can be continued. The lug52 is formedwith a vertical extension or flange 52 which is perforated so asto passover a cylindrical boss 57 on the bracket 4:7, and the brake band isthus prevented from being bodily. displaced. v

- At times it is desirable to positively lock the drum against rotationindependently of the brake hand. To this end a locking pin 58 isslidably mounted in the bracket 47, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, inposition to engage any oneof a series of holes or sockets 59 formed inthe adjacent face of the drum 4:6 or of its extension 50.. The pin 58 ispivotallyconnected to a hand lever 60 by means of which it can bereadily movedinto and out of locking osition.

The sha't 48 upon which the drum is mounted is preferably formed withsuitable ducts 61 through which oil may flow to the bearing surfaces ofthe drum, and a duct 62 may be formed in the bracket 47 through whichoil may be supplied to the duct 61.

Fhr the purpose of feeding and guiding the machine during the initial orsumping cut I provide the following devices. 63 is a guide frame whichcomprises a bottom part or shoe 6% designed to slide over the floor ofthe mine and an upper transverse bridge part 65 which rests'upon theshoe 64 and spans the cutter frame in the manner shown in Fig. l. Thetransverse frame part 65 carries a depending guide bracket 65*,

which extends between and slidably engages the side bars or plates 6 and7 of the cutter frame, a relative sliding movement between the guideframe and the cutter frame of the machine being thus 'provided for. Theextent of this movement is indicated in Figs. 12 and 13, which show theextreme positions of the guide frame in relation to the machine.The'bridge part 65 is provided at its ends with upstanding rounded lugs65, 65 which are adapted to receive the lower ends of screw jacks, suchas 66 (see Fig. 12), which may be set between the guide frame 63 and the'roof of the mine so as to clamp the guide frame rigidly on the floor ofthe mine, or at least hold it against movement transverse of themachine.

vIn order thatthe winding cable 44, may be efficiently used, inconnection with the guide frame 63 for makin the sumping cut, the mainframe of the mac ine is preferably provided with guide sheaves orpulleys 67,

68 and 69. The cable 44 may be extended outward from the swiveled pulley43, passed around the pulleys 67 and 6S and thence extended inward overpulleys -69 to a suitable anchoring device, such as a jack at 70.

The manner in which my improved machine operates will readily beunderstood from the above description. Assuming that it is desired tounder-cut the face of the coal in a room of a mine which is operated onthe room and pillar plan, the machine is first put into the positionshown in Fig. 12 adjacent the right rib and with the cutting apparatusdirected toward the face of "the coal to be under cut. The guide frame63 having been moved inward as far as it will 0 in relation to thecutter frame is now acked down, as indicated in Fig. 12, the draft cable44 is passed outward over "the guide pulleys 67 and 68 on the rearcorners of themachine and thence inward over the guide pulley 69 on theright side of the-machine to the jack 70. Current now being applied tothe motor, it is set in operation and drives the shaft and gearing downto and including the clutch element at 18. and alsothe clutch element at36. The operator upon shifting these drive clutch elements intoengagement with their companion parts causes the power to be transmittedfirst to the cutting apparatus and secondly to the winding drum 41.Thereupon the machine as an entirety is drawn endwise toward and againstthe coal. As the cutters engage the coal the reaction tends to swing theinner end of the machine to the right, but such movement is prevented bythe guide frame 63, which is effective for this purpose until the mainframe of the machine is advanced into engagement with the guide frame atwhich point the motor is stopped. The position of the machine at thistime is shown in- Fig. 13. The cutters are now so-far under the coalthat further guidance by the frame 63 is not essential. Accordingly, thejack 66 having been removed the motor is again started and the remainderof the sumping cut is completed bringing the machine into the positionshown in Fig. 14. During the latter part of the sumping cut it will beunderstood, of. course, that the guideframe 63 moves bodily with themachine.

The initial or sumping cut havin made in the manner stated, the mac ineis been Y next propelled laterally along the face of the coal to effectthe undercutting in the following manner. The cable 44 is detached fromthe jack 70 and stretched along the face of the coal to the left ribwhere it is made fast to an anchor as, for example, a jack -71. The endof cable 45 is now made fast to the jack 70, which, if necessary, may bere-set in a position more nearly opposite the friction drum 46. Themotor is now started, or if the motor'has been running idle the clutchelements 18 and 36 are thrown into,operative position whereupon thecutters begin to move and the winding drum 41 to rotate. The rotation ofdrum 41 draws upon the cable 44 so that the machine is gradually fedlaterally along the face of the coal,the cutters meanwhile effecting theunder cut. The position of the machine during this operation isindicated in Fig. 15. If the machine during this operation weresubjected only to the draft force ofthe cable 44 and to the re-action ofthe coal upon the within his control a very simple yet efficient andconvenient means for controlling the angular position of the machine 'inrelation to the coal face. -If the outer end of the machine tends toswing too much to the left, due to the encountering of a hard streak ofcoal or hard foreign materials in the coal, it is only necessary totighten .the brake band of drum 46 to sufiiciently retard the outer endof the machine. On the other hand, when the cutters move into softermaterial and the inner end of the machine tends to feed too rapidly inrelation to the end, it is only necessary to loosen the brake bandsomewhat.

In the operationof the machine as above described, it is desirable attimes to an le the machine quickly and to a considera 1e extent. It isto accomplish this in an efficient and satisfactory manner withoutinterlid naaaaee fering' with the normal functions of the friction brakethat I have provided the positive lock devices. When it becomesdesirable to quickly swing the .inner end of the machine forward, thelocking pin 58 can 7 be thrown into engagement with the winding drum 46so as to positively lock the latter against rotation. The outer rearcorner of the machine then becomes a practically stationary pivot pointabout which the inner end of the main frame and the cutting apparatusare'swung forward by the draft of the propelling cable 44 When themachine has in this manner been swung into the desired position inrelation to the coaL face, the locking pin 58 is withdrawn from engagement with the cable reel and the machine is allowed to advancebodily under the control of the friction brake on drum 46. The provisionof'the positive lock for the drum 46- obviates the necessity of usingthe brake to effect a substantial locking of the drum, and this isadvantageous as the brake tendsvto operate more reliably when the rangeof braking pressure or tension is not too great. It is obvious,furthermore, that the provision of the positive lock saves the braln'ngapparatus from considerable Wear and tear.

Occasion for the use'of the positive lock devices may arise from time totime as the machine advances along the face, due to variation in thecharacter of the material encountered by the cutters, but the lock isfound es eciallyadvantageous in guiding the machine at the verybeginning of the side cutting. It willbe observed, upon referring toFig. 14, that when the sumping cut is finished, the machine stands withits inner end angled somewhat rearward, the sumping out being made at aslight angle to the side wall or rib in order to maintain the width ofthe) room. But such an angular position of the machine is not suitablefoi' making the under out along the face, the

proper angular position of the machine relative to the coal face beingmore nearly that shown in lFi 15. Therefore, when the sumping cut iscompleted and the side out is about to begin, the machine is angled fromthe position shown in Fig. 14 to that shown in Fig. 15, and this isreadily accomplished by locln'ng the windin 46 against rotation by meansof t e positive lock which l have provided. When the machine reaches thedesired angle, as shown in Fig. 15., the positive lock is disenga ed andthe machine continues its advance un er the control of the frictionbrake.

The means for guiding and controlling the .machine while the entering orsumping cut is being made, as set forth in this application, wereinvented by me but if make no claim to said means herein as they'formthe subject-matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 567,201,filed June 16, 1910.

What'l' claim is,

1. In a mining machine, the combination of a main frame, cuttingapparatus pro jecting from the inner end of said frame, a flexible draftdevice acting on the inner end of the main frame to propel the machinealong the face of the coal, and iding means for resisting the advance 0the outer part of the main frame comprising a cable reel on the mainframe, a cable on said reel adapted to have one end anchored to astationary holder on the rear side of the machine, an adjustable brakedevice adapted to offer a variable resistance to the rotation of thereel, and means operable independently of the brake device forpositively locking the reel against rotation.

2. In a mining machine, the combination of a main frame, cuttingapparatus projecting from the inner end of said frame, a flexible draftdevice acting on the inner end of the main frame to propel the machinealong the face of the coal, and guiding means for resisting the advanceof the outer part of the main frame comprising a-bracket rigidly mountedon the main frame, a cable reel mounted on said bracket, a cable on saidreel adapted to have one end anchored to a stationary holder on the rearside of the machine, an adjustable brake device adapted to ofl'er avariable resistanc to the rotation of the reel, and means operableindependently of the brake device for positively locking the reelconsisting of a'bolt slidably mounted in the said bracket and recessesin the reel adapted to receive the end of the bolt.

In testimony whereof afix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK 1L. SESSIONS. Witnesses: k

DUDLEY T. liism, E. P. Smvnnr.

